Compare towns
Meriden vs Torrington vs Upton vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meriden has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Torrington has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Meriden | Torrington | Upton | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 60,545Highest |
35,547 |
8,189Lowest |
39,973 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±1.3 about the U.S. average |
42.9±1.8 10% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
38.5±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Torrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,253±$4k 12% below U.S. |
$70,856±$5k 12% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$65,024±$5kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,200±$7k 28% below U.S. |
$215,500±$8kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$242,300±$11k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,294±$72Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,169±$43 17% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
| Meriden and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,129 64% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,703Lowest 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±4.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.2%±7.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Norwich and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.6%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #124 of 149 in CT | #132 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Torrington School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | Francis T. Maloney High School | Torrington High School | Blackstone Valley | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.2Highest |
11.9 |
11.2Lowest |
14.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.